1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lacrimation accelerating agent comprising a ligand of a serotonin receptor as an active ingredient.
2. Related Art
A great number of people are bothered with diseases caused by deficiency of lacrimal fluid such as those diagnosed as dry eye, xerophthalmia, keratitis sicca or the like. One of the main causes of these diseases is considered as autoimmune disorder called Sjogren's syndrome, and possibilities of treatment from this point of view have been studied (New Ophthalmology, 11(8), pp.1187-1195, 1994). For xerophthalmia due to Sjogren's syndrome, it was reported that anetholtrithion promoted lacrimation (Diagnosis and New Drug, 26(11), pp.105-127, 1989). It was also reported that instillation of vitamin A was effective for dry eye (New Ophthalmology, 10(10), 1685-1686, 1993).
Although various efforts have been made to develop medicaments for the diseases caused by the deficiency of lacrimal fluid, e.g., dry eye, any satisfactory medicament has not yet been found.